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Subaru of America, Inc. today reported 59,426 vehicle sales for July 2018, a 6.7 percent increase over July 2017, and the best July in the history of the company. The company also reported year-to-date sales of 382,286 vehicles, a 6 percent gain over the same period in 2017.

July marked the 53rd consecutive month of 40,000+ vehicle sales for the company. Crosstrek and Ascent sales were notably strong as each model achieved its best July ever. Crosstrek sales for July 2018 increased 59 percent over the same month in 2017. In addition, 4,589 of the all-new 3-row Ascent SUVs were delivered in July. The biggest Subaru ever also earned a Car and Driver Editors’ Choice award.

“In honor of this past month’s sales, Subaru of America proudly celebrates our 80th consecutive month of yearly month-over-month growth; a feat that would be impossible without the support and hard work of our dedicated retailers nationwide,” said Thomas J. Doll, President and CEO of Subaru of America, Inc. “We’re thrilled to see the ongoing excitement around the 2019 model year vehicles and look forward to upholding this momentum by continuing to deliver safety, versatility and reliability to our loyal customer base.”

“Overall, Subaru of America sales were up nearly 7 percent in July – an impressive accomplishment considering that sales industry-wide were down compared to July 2017,” said Jeff Walters, Senior Vice President of Sales. “We are on track for an exceptionally strong summer, thanks to the all-new 3-row Ascent SUV and Crosstrek that continue to drive new and returning customers to the Subaru brand.”

Will be interesting to see if there is an uptick in WRX considering AA/CP are now added and STI gets the "about time" update. New Forester coming, though that won't really matter much to the end number. Shoot. Just the '19MY in general. All models(except BRZ to my knowledge so far) get updates. Will be an interesting rest of this year and next year.

I dunno, if I were Subaru I'd be worried. That's a lot of negative rates, and just a whopper of a positive for Crosstek. Once Crosstek gets saturated, what's going to happen?

Those drops are all the models that are at the end or nearing the end of their cycle and about to make the jump to SGP, so I don’t really see it as a problem. If it continues after the switch to SGP, then I’d be worried, but I think it will go the other way. Thought I’m doubting the Legacy’s success, tbh, even on the SGP.

Those drops are all the models that are at the end or nearing the end of their cycle and about to make the jump to SGP, so I don’t really see it as a problem. If it continues after the switch to SGP, then I’d be worried, but I think it will go the other way. Thought I’m doubting the Legacy’s success, tbh, even on the SGP.

And “best July ever for Ascent”? No kidding

Disagree... impreza is one of the top negatives.. its on the new platform..
Only cars in the positive are wagons/hatches ... maybe Subaru should bring back the wrx hatch... and legacy wagon

Disagree... impreza is one of the top negatives.. its on the new platform..
Only cars in the positive are wagons/hatches ... maybe Subaru should bring back the wrx hatch... and legacy wagon

The YTD sale is only 5.6k units down despite what that double digit percentage drop looks like. When we're talking tens of thousands of units, it doesn't sound like a big deal, to me anyway. And its going into its 3rd model year now so a dip is expected imo, especially since the 2019 model year was just announced -- a dip right before the next MY isn't unheard of.

The Impreza comes in a hatch. I know lots of people on here like hatches, but it isn't a sales marvel -- raised vehicles are. Which is why the same Impreza hatch sells much better when raised as the Crosstrek. I do think the wrx hatch should come back though, its just not going to greatly increase the total, but just split wrx/sti sales down the middle between hatch and sedan.

The Impreza/Crosstrek sales are proof that hatchback cars still aren't big sellers in the USA. However if you take a hatchback that people are largely ignoring and raise the ground clearance to make it look like an SUV you have a winner.

73xx Impreza isn't a bad number, it is about what Subaru sold for the average sales month of Impreza's last year. While I am sure Subaru would love to see a sales increase I am sure they aren't disappointed with these numbers.

The Legacy sales were really bad last month. It was by far the worst sales month of the 6th Gen Legacy. A couple years ago Subaru was regularly selling 5k Legacys per month. I know the sedan market is down, but a 50% drop in this generation from what they were average is a big drop.

73xx Impreza isn't a bad number, it is about what Subaru sold for the average sales month of Impreza's last year. While I am sure Subaru would love to see a sales increase I am sure they aren't disappointed with these numbers.

The Legacy sales were really bad last month. It was by far the worst sales month of the 6th Gen Legacy. A couple years ago Subaru was regularly selling 5k Legacys per month. I know the sedan market is down, but a 50% drop in this generation from what they were average is a big drop.

73xx Impreza isn't a bad number, it is about what Subaru sold for the average sales month of Impreza's last year. While I am sure Subaru would love to see a sales increase I am sure they aren't disappointed with these numbers.

The Legacy sales were really bad last month. It was by far the worst sales month of the 6th Gen Legacy. A couple years ago Subaru was regularly selling 5k Legacys per month. I know the sedan market is down, but a 50% drop in this generation from what they were average is a big drop.

Hopefully, Subaru is already investigating/researching why Legacy doesn't appeal as much as it did in the past 3~4 years.
I'm sure some of it, maybe even a lot of it, has to do with Outback because it's just so much more versatile.
But, IMO, Legacy must stand on its own and carve out its own share of customers.
That being said, even if Subaru were to sell only 43K units this year, it would still be higher that what they sold in all years between 1997 and 2013 except for 2012 where they sold 47K .

Hopefully, Subaru is already investigating/researching why Legacy doesn't appeal as much as it did in the past 3~4 years.
I'm sure some of it, maybe even a lot of it, has to do with Outback because it's just so much more versatile.
But, IMO, Legacy must stand on its own and carve out its own share of customers.
That being said, even if Subaru were to sell only 43K units this year, it would still be higher that what they sold in all years between 1997 and 2013 except for 2012 where they sold 47K .

midsize sedan is cratering. Every single car in the segment is down for the year. Even the new Accord and Camry

So with this reasoning and Subaru’s current and past reasonings, shouldn’t the Legacy be dead then? They can always bring it back under a different name in 5 years. Call it the Immortal. lol

Subaru kept USDM wagons well past the time when the rest of the market bailed on them. It will be interesting to see if Subaru stays the course with midsize sedans. It's still a huge market. No one knows if sedans will die out like wagons or shrink and stabilize like minivans.

Well, small sales volume or big sales volume, it all comes down to whatever overall profit margin and ROI they have set for the life cycle of the Legacy. As long as it’s at least meeting those, I don’t think total units matters despite how bad it looks — but only Subaru knows those things I guess.

Logic tells me it’s still profitable and within the right limits, or it would’ve disappeared already.

Well, small sales volume or big sales volume, it all comes down to whatever overall profit margin and ROI they have set for the life cycle of the Legacy. As long as it’s at least meeting those, I don’t think total units matters despite how bad it looks — but only Subaru knows those things I guess.

Logic tells me it’s still profitable and within the right limits, or it would’ve disappeared already.

All that may be the case, but look what happened with the Forester XT. It up and vanished regardless of margins. The line we were given was sales volume didn’t meet their threshold to continue with that trim. Legacy GT, Legacy wagon, Tribeca same fate. I don’t think designing a Legacy sedan around the SGP is a worthwhile venture with these plummeting sales numbers. Fleets are not ordering them anymore and the segment in a year’s time will be that much worse off.

All that may be the case, but look what happened with the Forester XT. It up and vanished regardless of margins. The line we were given was sales volume didn’t meet their threshold to continue with that trim. Legacy GT, Legacy wagon, Tribeca same fate. I don’t think designing a Legacy sedan around the SGP is a worthwhile venture with these plummeting sales numbers. Fleets are not ordering them anymore and the segment in a year’s time will be that much worse off.

What was the margin on the FXT? I’m sure sharing the WRX powertrain reduced costs, but who knows what it really is? (except Subaru). And it sold only a fraction of overall forester sales. I have no numbers, but I think the legacy is selling much more than the FXT. My guess is the scale is probably there for the Legacy to support the margin and whatever else threshold, but not with the FXT.

In the end, we’ll see... I don’t think companies keep things around if it’s messing with their bottom line unless it’s a poorly managed business, and so far Subaru’s seems to be making the right moves... even if we don’t agree with them.

All that may be the case, but look what happened with the Forester XT. It up and vanished regardless of margins. The line we were given was sales volume didn’t meet their threshold to continue with that trim. Legacy GT, Legacy wagon, Tribeca same fate. I don’t think designing a Legacy sedan around the SGP is a worthwhile venture with these plummeting sales numbers. Fleets are not ordering them anymore and the segment in a year’s time will be that much worse off.

I personally don't feel FXT should have gone away, but we definitely don't know margins. Definitely don't know cost of development. Legacy GT and Legacy wagon were fractions of a fraction. Tribeca returned as the Ascent. Subaru took the time to get the product right and get it on the SGP. Subaru's fleet business is tiny.

We do know Subaru has limited resources compared to other brands and that may need to be considered when realizing Subaru still has to kick alternative fuel and autonomous vehicles out the door.